Donna Kline has announced her retirement as director of Deacon Ministries for the Church of the Brethren, as of July 11. She has held this position in Congregational Life Ministries for more than five years, since Oct. 20, 2008.
Prior to her service with Deacon Ministries, Kline did freelance work with the Association of Brethren Caregivers including a project to edit and index a series of essays for deacons written by Fred Swartz for the publication “Caregiving,” which inspired her with the possibilities that exist in deacon ministry.
In her work with Deacon Ministries she has led workshops for deacons across the country, as well as pre-Annual Conference workshops and webinars. She helped develop a new Deacon Manual for the denomination in 2012, which was published by Brethren Press, and has edited the “Basin and Towel” magazine of Congregational Life Ministries. She also guided development of the Church of the Brethren relationship with the Anabaptist Disabilities Network (ADNet).
Her husband Joel Kline, pastor of Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren in Elgin, Ill., also is retiring this summer. Kline looks forward to spending more time with grandchildren, traveling, and exploring volunteer opportunities.